Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Black Panther Photographed in the Texas Hill Country?

A couple of weeks ago a reader contacted me saying that he thought his game camera might have captured a photo of a black panther. This gentleman lives out in the Hill Country and had his camera overlooking a deer feeder near his home. The reader attached two photos, one of the animal in question and one of some deer underneath the feeder. The deer photo was meant to provide some idea of scale. The original photos are below.

The animal in the photo is unquestionably a cat of some kind. In addition, the cat is black or, at the very least, an extremely dark brown. Despite the photo being snapped at night there can be no doubt about that. This is no tawny-colored mountain lion. A long, thick tail is clearly visible. This long tail effectively squelches any arguments that this is a bobcat. So, if it isn’t a cougar and it isn’t a bobcat…what is it?

As has been discussed here before, officially, black panthers do not exist. Science tells us that there is simply no such animal. It is true that other big cats occasionally exhibit melanism but they do not make their homes in North America. Leopards live in Africa and jaguars live in South and Central America. Black bobcats have occasionally been observed in North America and could account for some black panther sightings; however, once a witness describes a long tail, often almost as long as the cat’s body, the bobcat ceases to be a legitimate candidate. So, what are people seeing? What animal does this photo show?

The debate on what people are seeing and identifying as black panthers has been discussed here before. I’ll refer you to an article called “Lost Bears and Black Panthers” I posted back in August of 2009. In it, I discussed four candidates for the black panthers of Texas. Below is an excerpt from that post that discusses these four possibilites:

"So, what are people seeing? There are several possibilities, in my opinion. The first possibility is simply that cougars can sometimes be black. This is a well-documented trait in jaguars and leopards. Scientists have yet to see it in cougars but that doesn't mean it doesn't occur. The second possibility is that jaguars still roam the state. Texas was once part of the jaguar's natural range. The last known jaguar in Texas was killed in Brownwood in the 1940s. It is thought they may still haunt the state's southern border but are not thought by wildlife experts to range into central or east Texas. One more possible candidate for the black panther sightings is the jaguarundi. The jaguarundi is a relative of the cougar but much smaller. It averages between 30 and 45 inches long and can be dark in color though, it is thought, not black. A final possibility is that there is simply an undocumented species of large black cat roaming not only Texas but other areas of the country as well."

Do any of these candidates match up to what we see in the photo? Possibly. The problem is one of scale. At first glance the cat in the photo seems to be quite large but upon further inspection maybe not. I wanted an additional opinion so I sent the photo to Chester Moore. Moore is an accomplished outdoors writer and naturalist. His Cryptokeeper website was one of my favorite sites on the internet and helped inspire me to starts a site of my own. He is currently heading up a camera-trapping project called Southern Panther Search with Terri Werner of Tiger Creek Refuge and Animal Planet’s “Growing Up Tiger.” Moore’s thoughts are below:

"Mike,

Thanks so much for sending the photo.

It is hard to get perfect scale on the cat because the position of camera in the cat shot is different than the deer shot.

The deer closes to the camera looks like a yearling doe (first year) so it is not that big of a deer.

The animal in the photo is definitely a cat and it looks the closest to a jaguarundi of any known species. It is definitely not a jaguar (no spot pattern found on the coat. Messed with it in photo shop and you could pull some spots by messing with contrast and lighting and none show) or a cougar. The body position and short legs point to jaguarundi along with the dark color.

The cat looks a little fat to me which is what threw me off. Cougar and jags are both muscular but this cat is not. Jaguarundis are not a muscular cat and after reviewing a photo of a pregnant jaguarundi it looks like that might be the case. There are definitely jaguarundis in the Hill Country despite what officials say and this is the time of year many of our predators are pregnant."

I agree that the jaguarundi is a good candidate for the cat in the photo. Moore’s points are well taken. There is only one point on which I disagree with Moore and that is his opinion that the camera was not in the same location for the two provided photos. I think the overlay below shows that the camera was in the same location for both photos. Even if I’m wrong on this, the location is not significantly different and doesn’t drastically change much of anything, in my opinion.

If this is a jaguarundi it is a pretty good find. According to the Mammals of Texas – Online Edition, “Jaguarundis live in the brush country of extreme south Texas in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties – where it is rare.” They aren’t supposed to be in the Hill Country of Texas. Then again, they aren’t supposed to be in east Texas either and Moore himself says that he has seen one near Lake Sam Rayburn.

Moore is right in that the photo simply doesn’t show enough detail to be able to say definitively what this cat might be. In addition, after studying the photo and looking at about a dozen different models of feeders at a Gander Mountain store this past weekend in an effort to better judge the size of the cat, I’ve come to the conclusion that the cat in the photo is likely not large enough to be a cougar or jaguar. I realize it could be a juvenile but the dearth of any black cougar specimens and the lack of florets, or spots, on the cat in the photo (florets are almost always still visible even on melanistic jaguars), in my opinion, lends credence to my opinion. That leaves two possibilities: a jaguarundi or a domestic/feral cat.

I don’t really believe that this cat is a domestic. I think it is too big for that. I think the animal in the photo is most likely a jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi). If so, it is an exciting development. If the cat is pregnant, as Chester Moore suggested, then that is even more exciting. Not only would there be a jaguarundi where it is not supposed to be but there would be a breeding population of jaguarundis in a region where they are not officially recognized.

Please keep sending in your accounts of black panther sightings and any photos you might capture. Pieces of anecdotal evidence like this could help people like me know where to investigate and best place their cameras. This, in turn, could lead to the clear video footage or photograph that could prove these large cats do exist and roam the Lone Star State.

107 comments:

I have to strongly disagree with you there. A long tail is clearly visible, especially in the zoomed image, which would rule out a bobcat. The tail is coming back toward the camera so you don't get a long profile look at it but it is there.

I can't tell you for sure what this cat is but I feel certain it is not a bobcat.

I studied Wildlife Ecology at Texas A&M (115 hrs toward degree). I was taught in Mammology that melanistic Cougars do exist. I do agree it isn't a Jag or Bob, the tail is way too long. The thoughts that it's pregnant & that it's a 'rundi, fly in the face of each other. I be more willing to believe it was a young male looking for open territory.

I do remember seeing a big black cat that was bigger than goat at 50 yards out when I was a around 25 years ago at my friends ranch near Del Rio. So I do believe there are big black cats in Texas I just couldn't tell you which kind I saw that day.

Twice I have seen a black cat looking animal with a thick tail on my Hill Country property in Ingram, Tx near Kerrville. Initially I thought it was a cat, or maybe a squirrel. But I ruled out the squirrel because of it's cat like movements and thick long tail. However it was never seen by anyone but myself.

Up until the mid 80s there was a family of large black cats living near Thicket, Tx ( southeast Texas). I was a young child when these sightings were taking place so I do not have a clear memory of seeing one. However both my parents and grandparents as well as aunt and uncle saw the cats on numerous occasions. My father hit one with his car one evening on his way home. He did not stop because he did not have a gun in the car with him. So he went home to get a gun and then returned to where he had hit the cat. When he got there the cat was gone. The location was only about a 1/2 mile from our house. The cats would even come up close to the house. I can clearly remember the sound it makes. It sounds like a woman screaming.

We live in Gatesville Texas too and about1 1/2 months ago a friend and I were hiking on her heavily wooden property just outside city limits and we both saw a black cat that was about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall. It was not a regular house cat.

This looks to me like a jaguarundi. I have taken a rare photo of a jaguarundi in Brazos Bend State Park near Houston. It was confirmed by a TPWL employee. So yes I do believe they could have roamed in the Hill Country too

I am a property manager at an apartment complex in Northwest Austin. Several of my residents and maintenance staff have spotted a large "black cat" similar to a jaguar in a large wooded area behind the complex.

Live in Kendall county 4 miles S. of Bergheim. Today saw a dark gray cat. Bushy tail approx 2 ft+ long. Body length looked about 4 ft or a bit more. top of back looked about or more in height of my knee. my knee with sneakers measures 22". it was walking away from me so never saw face. funny but at tails end I saw 3 or 4 black rings.Grabbed camera but battery was removed! This is 2nd time I have seen it. 1st time was just a quick glance and thought it was just a big house cat. No way!

I have a place off of RR-165 between Blanco and Henly,Tx in the Hill country. When leaving my north gate one evening back in Sept. I spotted a very tall all-black cat of some kind walking straight and slow across the distance of my headlights shining back into the property while I was locking the gate. Judging the distance from where I saw it walk, It appeared to be about 4-5 feet long and maybe a couple of feet or more in height. No markings and just walking straight and slow between some groups of trees. Never had seen anything like it before. Recently my neighbor had mentioned about something finding about a slain animal and that all of his goats were staying close to house. Animals are good about sensing danger from 'certain predators.

My grandparents used to live outside of Salado, TX on a large ranch and had property that backed up to Stillhouse Hollow Lake. On several occasions while hunting with my father when I was younger we would see a very large solid black cat with a long tail across one of the coves near the bank. We also saw the prints on our side of the lake and numerous times my family members would hear the screams from some sort of cat. Not sure what it was, but my Dad always said it was a panther!!

Two years ago, I heard a cougar at night. Once you hear that "scream" you will never forget that sound. It was during deer hunting season here at my ranch 7 miles Southwest of Johnson City. TX. We were able to verify it was a cougar by our game camera that was fastened to a tree near the deer feeder. Then again last fall (2012), I heard a throaty sound as if having labored breathing. It's difficult to explain, but I recognized the sound when I heard it this evening at approximately 7:10 pm. Its a beautiful evening. but my border collie and I both got startled and came into the house. We all need to be careful out here in the Hill Country.

A few years back i saw a dark colored cat, long tail much larger than a normal cat..It was walking a fenceline, was able to watch it for awhile...In between port Arthur and sabine pass at chevron ..It was before light, and in an area full of rabbits and hogs..I asked the chevron workers about it, they said it was common and most had seen it. My guess is the jaguarundi, because it walked with its butt higher than its head.

Just spotted one of these in San Angelo, Texas. It was crossing the road in the state park at 7pm April 14, 2013. I spoke to the local park rangers and the biologist and they are going out to look for tracks. It looks exactly like the picture above (not the game cam one) - long tail and too large to be a domestic cat. Small head. Definitely feline.

Just saw one last night at LSC UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS near Tomball Tx.On the hood my damn c5 corvette scared the heck out of a students mother...stood up on hind legs and looked in my window on my car...I saw it as I came and it left into the woods...pretty big 50-75lbs I would guess but not big enough to be a cougar..

Went on a jog this morning, and without a doubt, saw a black panther about 35 yards away from me. watched it for about 15 seconds, then left as i had no guns. at first i thought it was a mountain lion, but it was black like the night.

I live on Concan. We moved here from East Texas. I am a science teacher. About 29 years ago I was driving through the Trinity river bottom early one morning. A black jaguar walked right in front of my car. Once we moved to the hill country I still had early morning commutes so I got to see all kinds of unusual animals. I have witnessed two black bear near my home...one on CR 350 and one on HW 83. My husband and I have both seen jagarundi crossing HW 83 near Deep Creek. Now the large black cats...maybe black jaguar...12 years ago driving between Leakey and Camp Wood in the pre-dawn hours a large black cat crossed in front of my car and in one leap he was on top of the road cut about ten feet high to my left. About 2 years ago on CR 127 near the Sabinal river a similar black cat crossrd the road going toward the river bottom

I've encountered a jaguarundi in a friend's yard in New Braunfels right on the Guadalupe off Breztke Road. It was at night but I was able to watch the cat for close to 5 minutes while it carefully walked off. It was low to the ground like the photos suggest, definitely larger than a house cat, and reddish in color like some appear to be. After doing lots of research on trying to figure out what it was, there is no doubt in my mind a jaguarundi was what I saw.

We live in Ferris Texas and our neighbors said they saw a black panther. They also found a goat carcass in a tree close to a creek in the woods. I don't think a bobcat could drag a goat into a tree. Any ideas on this?

A few weeks ago, at night, I heard the "scream" of a jaguarundi or some type of large cat. Then this morning around 10:00, I saw this large, long black cat that looked the size of a deer walking leisurely down a trail. It had a long bushy tail. I live in the Canyon Lake area.

My Wife and I live about 15 miles North of Palestine, TX. A few months back she came and woke me around 10:00 p.m.. She said i thing someone has ran off our county road, I hear a woman screaming. As soon as the creature made the sound again I instantly recognized it as a sound I heard as a child on several occasions. I Would love to get the audio, If anyone has any idea to a link with the sound it would be muchly appreciated. I have searched you tube and others but nothing close to what we heard.

I am up in Dallas county, in the northwest city of Coppell, near DFW airport. I have heard rumors of folks seeing a large black panther roaming along the creek beds in our area at night and even in the day. The folks seeing it live in homes that back up to the creek, in the greenbelt section of the neighborhood. We have lots of bobcats in this area. But this is no bobcat because it has a long tail and is a large cat, much larger than a bobcat. If it isn't a panther or jaguar, then maybe it is a jaguarandi -- but it's here.

I saw a big black cat around 2005 in N. Austin Suburb. It scared the crap out of me. I was walking on a bike path covered in trees at dusk when a giant cat (aprox the size of a golden retriever) crossed the path about 30 ft ahead. It was so intimidating I stopped while it looked at me, then I slowly turned away and walked off. I always thought maybe someone had an exotic cat illegally and let it loose. But I think I saw a Jaguar- It was pure black, no spots.

My mother-in-law lives west of Stonewall. A few years ago she saw a black cat (4-5 ft body length, tail another 4 ft long) crossing a field alongside 290, close to the Pedernales. She thought she was going crazy. I researched jagaurundis, but she said it was much, much larger and solid black.

Northeast Texas, Fannin County. This area known as "The Wildcat Thicket", and also for Sam Rayburn home in Bonham and the Lee - Peacock fights near Trenton, TX. We have seen this black cat with a tail as long as its body on Sept. 25th at 10pm and about a year ago. We also see bobcats, which have longer legs and a different walk.Like many other people at first you ask what was that?We can hear the bobcats (more than one) at the same time this week. They have a mating cry, sounds like ascreaming cry. I looked on-line for animal sound, afterafter hearing it in the woods. You can hear them twice a year spring and fall. I love the country and wild life!!!

I had seen a large black cat chasing a deer while I was hunting on Oct. 21, 2012. This was in Murray, KY off of Boat Wright Trail. It was only 65 yards from my stand and I was able to see it for about 8-10 seconds.

I moved to Wise County ,Texas in 1998. While sleeping with the windows open one night, I was awakened by a scream outside. The scream sounded like a frightened woman. Seven years later in the spring of '05 while watching new neighbors large black lab roam my east field , I scared him of with BB gun 200 ft. A few days latter he returned ,so I thought I would shoot up in the trees ,above him with bird shot. He went north across my field ,so I went in house to get gun and on returning watched for him to return along tree line of east hay field. Not long did something black appear in my neighbors field to the north. Where this animal came from is a known game trail. My neighbors field is not planted ,so it is very brushy. Next I saw a black tail above the brush and weeds. The brush was three feet tall. I realized this was no tail from the black lab. Next out of the brush came the rounded head, then the long neck, and long body. Even with the gun in my hands and three shells ,I was scared. This animal was solid black and similar in size to a mountain lion. I didn't shoot, and watched it disappear into my east field tree line at a trot. The next day I went to see if any tracks were left ,just to make sure I wasn't dreaming, and there they were. Now 8 years later my neighbor lost many young goats. This cat was not a bob cat or a large domestic. This was a massive cat and twice as long as the dog I had been watching.

Love this site! I live in Clay Co. in Texas, close to Wise Co. 15 to 20 years ago there was a pair of black "mountain lions" or so people thought. We have bobcats and mountain lions here. Recently a neighbor and I were talking about a mountain lion I had spotted by my house. He asked me if I had seen the black one. He had spotted one just recently. I am starting to wonder exactly what it was. I know the one I spotted years ago was bigger than your jaguarondi. The head didn't look the same either. I wouldn't have thought about it being a jaguar until talking to a hunter friend who said he thought there were jaguars in Texas.

So, with science telling us they don't exist, millions of man hours spent in the woods by hunters every year with no photos or "panthers" killed, and hundreds of thousands of game cameras running year round all over and not one confirmed photo...........

Actually you are completely wrong. Jaguars existed in their habitat from South America through Central America and Mexico to as far north as texas or Arizona. The last ever jaguar to be killed in texas officially was in 1940. I do not recall where in texas or the mans name however you can look into it on Wikipedia. There were other jaguar kill before this in the early 1900s. They are now declared officially extinct by the government. There however has been numerous signings since with this site as proof. I lived outside of McKinney texas and both my mother and father have sworn they have seen one multiple times. I myself have seen it once run across the road. It was like nothing I haver ever seen before. There are multiple pictures such as those posted on this site. Jaguarundis are however not extinct they are on the endangers species act list and live in south texas. The large bulk of these sightings may be black jaguarundis which are like small jaguars

My grandfather and I,on our family's ranch in Lingleville Tx. (About 75 miles south west of Ft.Worth) saw a black cat with a long tail while feeding cattle. My great grandfather always took stories of seeing on on occasion. I'm a believer. There's no doubt in my mind of what it was. There around.

Hate to spoil the ridiculous rantings here, but did anyone else consider that the animal in the picture is simply a white-nosed coati, which, though uncommon, would not be as absurd as jumping to the conclusion that jaguarundis have somehow not only overcome their Texas extirpation but have also expanded their range into country which, based on ALL current knowledge, is inhospitable for them?

Not spoiling anything. There are already confirmed (by game wardens) sightings of them here near Concan. Also in the Utopia area. If Coyotes can migrate to CANADA what on earth would make someone so narrow minded as to think the jaguarundis might not be farther north???

I sure did consider that, and as a wildlife rehabber, I can say you are wrong. I saw one in Wichita Co. a few years ago, and I saw it's face. It was a jaguarundi, not a coati. Hate to rain on your mainstream academic biologist inspired parade. It always amuses me what the biologists say can't be, and then we find out that it is indeed. Just because YOU haven't seen one, doesn't mean it doesn't exist here. I documented the western most range of the Three Toed box turtle in this state as well, 100 miles farther west than the academics say it is on the range maps, and it has yet to be credited to me because some stuffy academic didn't find it yet so he could publish on it. That's how that game is played.

I was walking with my two German Shepherds out in my back pasture one morning about 7:oo in January of this year~2014, when my male shepherd came to a quick stop and stood watching something about 50 yards ahead of us. When I looked up I saw a dark colored cat about 30 pounds or so, leap about 10 feet up into a tree covered with thick brush and was gone, it had a long tail. this was out fm..414 in Cleburne, Tx. not sure what it was but a neighbor up the road said his wife had a picture that she had taken earlier.

i just bought a house this year in woodbury tx . very secluded heavilt wooded no cel service so remote and saw a big blck cat 100 ft from my back door at 9 am one morning.it took off running as i opened my back door,saw very long thick tail ...neighbors tell me this is the place for the jagurundies

Hello, I recently moved to a community NE of Mckinney, TX in Collin County. I saw what I believe to be a black panther walking in the woods along the creek behind our house. It looked like it had a 3ft tail and body w/tail about 6ft. It was in the shadows of the trees & I did not see any spots. We live in a new community w/ mostly vacant lots, woods, and lakes. The person across the street said he saw one over a year ago. I'm afraid for our dog. Can they be caught and relocated? You are welcome to put up a camera.

As a wildlife rehabber, I can tell you that relocation is detrimental to wildlife, and in many cases it is against the law to do so, especially if you are not permitted by the state to do so. My advice is learn to co-exist with wildlife and keep your dog up at night. We can't just go catching and relocating any wildlife we see that gives us a small concern. You moved into Collin Co, then you moved into known wildlife habitat. Learn to live with it if you're going to move to such places.

Me, my mom, and Grandmother saw a jaguarundi crossing the road near a low water crossing in Horseshoe bay out in the thicket in the late 90s. People would see them ALL of the time in Llano and Burnet county. They have a very distinct look, very low to ground, and long with a really long tail. Huge, if not some of the most dense deer populations in the state of Texas for both counties. They could survive easily. Now with the huge increase in the hog population over the last 10 years they certainly have more than enough prey to sustain themselves.

Hill Country? Hell I saw one circa 2007-8 outside of Wichita Falls, crossing just south of the Lake Wichita dam. It crossed right in front of my car at night, toward the lake, and I had to stop for it because it took it's time crossing the road. I'm a wildlife rehabber. I know it wasn't a bobcat. I've seen plenty of bobcats, plenty of coyotes, etc. This was a big CAT. This thing was darker than night and had a long thick tail that was upturned and bounced behind as it walked. It was too small to be a jaguar, but larger than a bobcat. I shined a q-beam onto it as it disappeared into the reeds off the road. I didn't even know what a jaguarundi was at the time. I had never heard of them until I had this sighting and began researching it, but there is zero doubt what I saw now. It WAS a jaguarundi.

What do they sound like? We have a hunter-type animal that comes toward us at night in our woods and it has a creepy sound. It is a silent stalker - like a cat, but the sound is not cat-like. We recorded the sound once. I can't find an animal with a sound like the one we recorded. We are barely north of Hill Country.

Two days ago I was heading down a road in brazoria tx and I saw three cars parked on the side of the road people were outside of their cars on the side of the road looking at something. I figured someones family pet had been ran over. But the look on their faces was an astonished look. So as I'm passing I decide to look. The creature I saw was the size of a large dog long tail and the color was black but in the right light it had a goldish spotted look I can tell you right now it was no bobcat or dog. After reading a few articles on jaguarundis I believe that is what it was. I really wish I just pulled over and took a pic. It was very similar to the pic of the jaguarundi above.

Several of my family members have seen a black very large cat resembling a Mountain Lion but pitch black in color in Willow Grove, PA near the PA turnpike in late evenings around 12:00 to 2:00 A.M. One time it had a opossum in its paws ready to bite and it took one leap and jumped at least 20' off into the woods.

When I was about 8 or 9 years old in 1985 my family went to see to cousins in Magnolia TX. At that time it was pretty remote. I played with a cousin out behind their house. I noticed what I thought was the coolest stuffed animal with the most beutiful emerald green eyes sitting slightly behind tree staring at us less than 20 ft away at the edge of the woods. Its coat was as black as night and almost gleamed in the early evening sun. It was as still as a stone and didnt even blink. .It sat on the other side of a 4 ft wire fence. As I gazed for 30 seconds or so at it until I heard my mother scream from the backdoor "Run ! " At the sound of her voice the big cat did a 180 and disapeared seemingly without a sound. Perhaps it was curious or looking for an easy meal. I hunt and have twice seen cougars and this cat was the same size as that. My uncle said that the neighbors calves had been harrased by a cat and eventually the rancher shot the cat which they called a Panther a month or so after I saw it. I am thankful to have seen such a beautiful animal and more thankful for a mothers watchful eye ! 30 years later I still remember that cats eyes.

There are numerous large cat sightings all over the country, many of them black. Generally, the black cat is larger than a standard puma, according to the observers. These cats are also associated with areas of paranormal activity, at least loosely. My uncle saw a very large black puma cross the road here in eastern Pennsylvania in 1961. Two summers in a row, you could hear it screaming in the woods behind the house every night, in about 1966-67. It sounded like a woman being murdered, screaming in pain. There are a lot of big black cat sightings in PA. I assume the photo to be of a puma, as the other cat's tail is more tapered at the tip, and the top of the back of the cat is more rounded than peaked in the center.

A cat almost as big as a deer at the shoulder, even if it is a yearling (the one in the back is) is a sizeable cat. Do the math.

Come on guys! Do a quick search on jaguarundis. They are only slightly larger than a domestic cat. They do not hunt deer or feral hogs. I would love to get to the bottom of this "black panther" mystery but we need to stick to facts.

I was once outside of Austin TX in the middle of winter with 2 friends and 2 dogs at Hamiltons Pool. No one else was there but us. A soon as we got there our dogs took off. We searched and searched all day. Finally right before dark they returned. At the time I was a rock climber. I had gone up a ledge to a bluff to check up there for them. On my way back down. I stopped on a ledge to take a break and smoke a cig. (I since quit). However I feel that cig saved my life at the time. I sat down and lit it up. I looked to my left and not more than 20 ft. away stood the most beautiful HUGE solid black cat with the most gorgeous green eyes I've ever seen to this day. I looked away for 1 second wondering what to do.. Looked back and it was gone. I can't help but wonder if the smell of the match and cigg drove it away. Earlier that day when I was hiking around I so felt that I was being watched that I picked up a huge rock and went running and screaming at the top of my lungs back to my friends... Only to feel stupid till later. Mind you I was on a rock ledge very high up. It was as if something/someone blanked out my mind and what had just happened instantly dissappeared from my mind or I most likely would have jumped off that ledge or panicked so bad that it would have attacked me. I sat there and smoked my cig and proceeded down like nothing happened. I got with my friends and we started back to the car. We got about 100 yds to the car when that thing which sounded like it was in the bushes right next to us let out a scream that would curdle your blood. My friend looked at me and said, "What was that?" Everything that had just happened to me came rushing back and I knew what it was. I didn't tell them till we got to the car so they would not panic. I will never forget this as long as I live.Real quick, I saw a true Cougar in New Braunfels come down to the Guadalupe Rivers ege for a drink. It fled as soon as it realized there were so many people. I don't go out there now (I ride a mountain bike) without pepper spray and a BIG knife.

Hello. I have two accounts. The first happened in the spring of 2012 at Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge. This was on a sunday evening and there were very few people in the park. As we were walking the larger trail we kept hearing a large animal moving softly in the brush next to us as if it was stalking our movements. This happend for several minutes. We didnt get to see it, but then we heard a wild hog squealing as it was getting slaughtered. It sounded brutal. There were several loud cat-like hisses and growls. The hog sounded like a larger hog and the fight lasted for a few minutes until the hog was silenced and dragged off quickly. According to the park staff there aren't supposed to be any larger cats in the area that could drag off a hog.

My second account happened last week at South Padre Island. We were staying at La Quinta on the north side of the island. At about 2am I was sitting in the balcony facing north when a very large black cat jumped into the hotel pool area next door. This cat was about 4ft from snout to tail. It seemed to have shorter legs and a very long tail. I could tell the size because i compared it the floor tiles. I was watching from directly above. I imagine that the hotel next door (the Hilton Garden Inn) might have some footage of it on their security camera.

Back in the early 70's or so in the Giddings La Grange area my parents had a place. Actually near and on Greene's Creek. There was a rumor of black cats that supposedly came out the deep woods when they flooded Yegua Creek to make Lake Summerville. Well damn if we didn't all see one while driving on the gravel road. Walked right in front of us in no hurry. It looked to me like a black cougar but a little smaller maybe. The old German locals called them Jaguaundi's. So I know they exist because I saw one though it was many years ago.

I know this is an old post...hopefully you're still reading it. I just saw a cat that looks exactly like the one in your last picture...same coloring. At 11 am, on Vista Ridge Rd. (North Austin/Cedar Park), June 19, 2015. At first, I thought it was a coyote but soon realized it was a cat. It had the long cat tail, slinkier body than a coyote, same head shape as in your posted picture, and ran/moved like a cat. When googling images, I saw your picture and it was a match. The cat had started to run across the road but, as I drive up, it turned back around and headed for a patch of woods. This is surprising as there is a lot of (newer) housing in the area.

I saw a young black cat with a long tail slender body crossing the ditch just 20ft off the road in daylight. It was definitely over 60 lbs. So posted my story on Facebook. Only to find out dozens of other people with similar stories in south Tx. So yeah there's no doubt that big black cat are here in Tx.

I live in kerrville texas. We were living with my grandma at the time, she lived near the stadium, there is a large amount of wooded property across the street from her, my dad would go outside to smoke his cigarettes and he witnessed a large black cat. Huge. He watched it cross the street, then proceed to jump the dirt ledge, then the fence and disappear into the trees. He called the police and this him what he saw. They came out the next day and searched the premises, they did not find the cat, but they found the large paw prints and scratches left from where it had jumped. My dad kept watching the next few nights. We noticed the deer population was low. He finally saw it again, roaming the streets, but by the time we got out there it was gone. My grandma thought he was crazy till one day she threw a turkey outside for the strays. She was taking the trash out later and saw the giant cat herself. It was taking off with the turkey. She came inside very flustered and called the authorities again.

About 5 years ago, maybe 2010-11, saw medium size black cat that looked like small panther run up from the east Bosque riverback. The cat was chasing a bird that was flying just few feet above the ground. The cat ran across my lane of traffic on Lakeshore Dr.(Waco,TX). The cat was a very dark black color, about 2.5' to 3' long, guess about 25 to 35 lbs, long black tail. The cat's head was rounded shape about size of typical cantaloupe. Later saw picture of a jaguarundi cat on internet, the cat looked like that species.

I've seen a jaguarundi cat chase a low flying bird near the Bosque river in Waco in about 2009. Also have seen a mountain lion while traveling on hi way 7 , approximately 5 miles west of Marquis ,TX in May 2009. That was a Lotta kitty fixing to cross that road!!!

I live about 45 minutes south of Brazos Bend. I've seen a large cat three times in the past couple of years crossing the road. It's not much larger than a bobcat, more lean and longer, with a very long tail. It appears black until the light shines on it and then I saw that it was actually spotted. I've also heard what sounds like a woman screaming at night.

We have a lot of wildlife in this area so I'm not sure if the numerous goat deaths are from that cat or coyotes. And I'm not sure if I've seen the same cat several times or if it was more than one cat. It looks like the photos I've seen of the jaguarundi.

I never knew what a jaguarundi was and didn't know there was no such thing as black panthers. We just got back from my deer lease doing some hog hunting and saw what I thought was a black panther chasing a bobcat in to a tree. It was in broad daylight so there was no mistaking it. We have a mountain lion out there but it isn't black as I've seen him up close. He jumped out a tree five feet away from me. After looking up photos of the jaguarundi I'm 1000% positive that is what it is. my lease is in luling tx. In Guadalupe county. I know that's far from where they are supposed to be but I know that's what it is now. I was looking up black panthers in Texas because it looked to small to be as big as what I imagined a panther would be. And it was very long. When I saw it I said man that's a weird shaped cat. Long and short. But after seeing photos of the jaguarundi it all makes sense now.

We saw something similar to this just last night about 1 am in the back roads of D`hands TX I was sounded by it didn't take photos but it really seemed like a large cat my first thought was of a black panther

I've often wondered about this as I have had my own experience with a large black cat about 15 years ago at Pedernales State Park. My family and I were camping there at the last site open, campsite 13. My youngest daughter, who was 3 at the time, and I went for a walk on the trail behind the campsite just before dusk. She walked ahead of me, picking up rocks or leaves that fascinated her. I happened to spot movement in the shadowed path ahead. I really couldn't believe what I was seeing- a large black cat with green eyes. I grabbed my daughter in a split second and stood mesmerized for just a few moments, still not really comprehending what I was seeing. I quickly turned and went back to the campsite. I asked my daughter what we just saw and she said "cat". I told my husband, which sounded quite unbelievable when spoken. I went back to see if it was still there, but it was gone. When I returned, deer came trampling through our site as if to be running from something- a big black cat! I ran up to the Ranger station to make the report and was met with ridicule. I forced them to take the information. So sad. We packed up and left when I returned. What an experience that I will never forget! I still love Pedernales!

I saw something like this in northeast Texas. Looked like a medium size dog but was black and quite slender, almost like a huge dachshund and really long take. It saw me and darted behind some items in the carport and watched me. I stood still not sure what to do. It suddenly leaped out toward me and I made a run for the house which was only a few feet away. When I closed the door the big "cat" changed directions and ran off into the dark field surrounding the house. I wondered if it was a panther but I always thought they were huge.

Well if the National Parks and Wild Life can stock the parks with Timber Rattlers and make massive areas a no hunting zones why cant they stock those areas with big Cats. If they don't do something the Hogs will destroy what they claim to be saving. Segno Texas,

Around 5:50am 8/15/16 on fm 306 between rocky river and river's edge roads, where the guadalupe river discharges from Canyon Lake. While driving a cat-like animal crossed infront of me. It's body was about 3 ft. long and squatty maybe 16 in. tall. The tail was almost as long as its body. It was a lighter color greyish/reddish. I have seen foxes out here and the tail I saw was not fox-like. The jaguarundi seems to fit.

when I was maybe 10 or 11 years old, early 1970's. I was deer hunting with my dad on the Neches River off of HWY 84. My dad shot at a large Black cat walking down a dirt road about 100 yards in front of us. it jumped flat footed 15 feet off the road and into the brush. we spent 2 hours walking around trying to find a blood trail and didn't find any. Now that I am older ( 52 ), I am glad he missed. I am still a hunter, but I don't believe in killing an animal for sport. many times I have watched Bobcats, Foxes, Cycotes, and once a Wessel from my deer stand. Never felt the need to shoot them, just to be killing something. I think we owe it to the habitat in the area we hunt to be responsible hunters. The laws of natural and eco system will adapt and continue to grow if we leave as little footprint as we can. I would love to see a Black Panther, or Jaguar, or even Jaguarundi. Maybe as there populations grow, I will.

Saw what I would describe as a black panther in the green belt behind our home. Would a large cat like this eat a family of fox, since we are missing our fox family of seven? We live in San Antonio, north of the airport. A few years ago saw a larger cat in the same location and was told by the wildlife folks I wasn't the first to see such a sighting in this area.

I just witnessed a large black cat I could only describe as a black panther near Rio Medina about 30 miles west of San Antonio. I just left the house to walk my dog and the cat was sitting about 25 yards from me and it just sat there and we looked at each other for about a minute before it decided to leave. I have seen bob cat and mountain lions before and this cat was much larger than a bob cat closer to the size of a mountain lion with a tail similar to the mountain lion but it was all black. Needless to say I feel like I just witnessed an animal most never see and chances are I will never see again.

They do exist and are seen as far north as Victoria county, Texas. I had heard about it growing up and thought it was just one of those stories meant to scare you until I heard it scream one night out back of our house on coleto creek. I never got a close up look back then but didn't want to either. In the recent years we moved back out that direction very close to the Guadalupe river and once again were told they were here. Well I didn't get on camera but couldn't believe my eyes when late one evening I saw it running across the back pasture behind our house. There's absolutely no mistaking this big cat for anything smaller. The gracefulness with which it covered that open ground on a full stretched out run until it was once again hidden by the trees was so awesome and unbelievable at the same time. So the rumors are true and usually once a year or so it is spotted making it's way thru our area.

I believe I saw a Jaguarundi on Highway 271 by Medina lake yesterday. I would guess it was about 40 to 50 pounds. It had a very long thick tail and stopped while crossing the street to look at me. It was dark brown with some type of pattern in his fur. I've seen the silhouette if this animal in the same area before but this was my first sighting before dusk.

I'm in the DFW metroplex. About 4 years ago, when I was working midnights I saw a Jaguarundi walking along a creek at the border of Colleyville and North Richland Hills. I spotlighted it and took a short video of the cat on an old phone. Everything I read said these cats were rare in this area. I reported the sighting to TPWD but never heard back.

I live just south of San Antonio, in Atascosa county. I see jaguarundi on occasion when I drive to work in the city as well as in my neighborhood. They are definitely around the area, they're just good at staying out of sight most of the time.

We were squirrel hunting on property next to the state park at Lake Whitney,Texas in 2006. I don't hunt so I was a good ways away from the group squatting next to a tree smoking a cigarette, when I saw what I thought was a black house cat. I wondered what it was doing so far in the woods but didn't think too much about it. A few minutes later I saw it again, it had circled around me and was a lot closer and I could see it was very large and had an extremely long blunt tail. It circled me again and was now about 40 yards away and it was the size of medium size dog, I was scared and realized that at 5'1 and all squatted down I was very small. I stood up and started yelling and throwing rocks and it ran away. No one believed me until they found large pawprints. It was broad daylight and I know what I saw.

I live in Northwest Austin and my next door neighbor texted me earlier to ask if I'd seen a large black cougar-like cat in the neighborhood as they saw one crossing the street in front of our homes late last night. We live off of 183 and Oak Knoll but have a large wildlife population, including a melanistic buck (not fully black but much darker than normal, I have a few good pics of him) and there is a green belt behind our house. I haven't seen it, yet, but have noticed that I haven't been seeing the raccoons/foxes/opossums I normally see. Do they prey on them?